UK’s BBC, ITV, C4 & C5 streamer Freely sets Q2 launch

The Freely UI (Source: Everyone TV)

Freely, the upcoming free TV service from Everyone TV, the organisation jointly owned by UK broadcasters BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5, has been confirmed for a Q2 2024 launch.

Announced in September 2023, Freely will allow viewers to watch live TV over broadband, which Everyone TV said will “will futureproof live TV for the streaming age”.

Freely will carry channels from all four broadcasters and Everyone TV is also working with BBC Studios-owned UKTV to add its portfolio of free channels, including Dave, Drama, Yesterday and W.

The service will allow audiences to browse and watch live channels, as well as on demand content, via their smart TV. Manufacturer Vestel has also come onboard as an additional partner to offer Freely, in a five-year long term deal, which will see the service built into its new smart TV sets.

Sarah Milton and Carl Pfeiffer, joint chief product officers, Everyone TV said: “It’s clear the way people are watching TV is changing, with more audiences switching over to a broadband only connection.

“We’ve built Freely around the needs of British audiences, bringing them the freedom to choose how they want to watch, with all their favourite shows from the UK’s leading broadcasters all in one place for free. We’re really proud of what we’re launching with Freely and are excited about bringing major enhancements like the MiniGuide to viewers as Freely launches in Q2 this year.”

The launch of Freely is not the first time that UK broadcasters have joined forces to adapt to streaming. The BBC, ITV and Channel 4 attempted to launch a combined streamer more than 15 years ago, but the proposed service was blocked by the UK’s Competition Commission.